From The Gary 411 and The Gary Crusader
Outgoing Congressman Pete Visclosky has endorsed Frank Mrvan to serve as Indiana’s First Congressional District Representative.
“It is my honor to endorse Frank Mrvan to serve as Representative for Indiana’s First Congressional District. I will vote for Frank Mrvan and I encourage every voter to support Frank for U.S. Congress in the primary election.”
Visclosky said Mrvan has a proven track record that shows he has the character and the necessary skills to successfully represent all of Northwest Indiana in Congress.
“As the proud son of State Senator Frank and Jean Mrvan, his values of respect, integrity, and honesty were formed growing up in the Hessville neighborhood of Hammond.”
Mrvan, North Township Trustee since 2006, was in Gary over the weekend to tell voters why he’s the best choice.
Standing alongside Mrvan, Calu- met Township Trustee Kim Robinson introduced him as “the man who is not new to us, he has been true to us. He was with me when I started, to help me help you and he was with Trustee Elgin to help her help you.”
“I’m committed to Gary. Wherever I am — in Munster, St. John, Lowell — I tell them how important Gary is. As Gary goes, so goes the rest of the 1st District. I’m going to make Gary the best it can be,” Mrvan said.
His priorities will be health care, Medicare, and mental health. Mrvan promised to protect steelworkers and support public safety workers. He will work with the city to improve the airport and Buffington Harbor.
“I want you to know that I’m an authentic person that is going to care about your needs. I’m going to D.C. and not forget how you helped me get elected,” Mrvan said.
With support from Trustee Robinson and an endorsement from the United Steel Workers Union, Mrvan is looking to separate himself from the rest of the field.
The 1st Congressional District consists of all of Lake and Porter counties, and most of western LaPorte County. Mrvan was winding his way east last Saturday following his stop in Gary to a campaign event in Chesterton.
Born and raised in Hammond, Mrvan is married to his high school sweetheart, Jane. They have two daughters. He is the son of Indiana State Senator Frank Mrvan, Sr. Trustee Mrvan is also president of the Indiana Township Association.
Threads from the 2008 presidential election turned up last Saturday. Mrvan reminded voters how one of his competitors in the 1st District race, identifying the candidate as the frontrunner, “… beat down the Gary school district in 2008 for busing students to Crown Point so they could register to vote.”
“I’m not the kind of person who beats up anybody to achieve a goal,” Mrvan said. ”Also, remember I was the only Lake County elected official who supported Obama, while everyone else was for Clinton.” That turned into a coup for Mrvan, bringing Obama to a crowd of 40,000 gathered at Wicker Park on the eve of Election Day in 2008.
Mrvan talked about his work on Indiana’s “No More Secrets” legislation. The basis for the law was a program against child sexual abuse Mrvan developed in North Township. Signed into law in 2017, students in kindergarten through 12th grade at every Indiana school, public or private, receive instruction in identifying and preventing child abuse and child sexual abuse.
Mrvan said Indiana ranks second in the nation for child abuse. “I see people who can’t work and a lot of it goes back to childhood trauma.”
“I’m an old time campaigner. I’ll be knocking on every door and window, going to every church and barbershop because Gary votes,” Mrvan said.
